A Place to Be
by askita
Summary: Jupiter wants everyone free to live their own life the way they see fit. Some people don't agree with that. POST-JA Jupiter/Caine pairing
1. Chapter 1

"I have something for you," Jupiter whispered into Caine's skin. The sound that he made as she pressed kiss after kiss up his spine and between his wings was non-committal. She smiled against him, throwing one arm over his waist as she lifted herself up to rest on her elbow.

"It's in the nightstand drawer."

He answered with another moan, this one with a little more curiosity than dazed post-sex euphoria.

"You got me something?"

"MmmmHmmm," she nuzzled the curve of his neck where it joins his shoulder, and breathed in deeply. He always smelled so _good._

He pulled himself into a sitting position as he reached to open the drawer. Jupiter, a little put out at the loss of contact, made up for it by snuggling into his side and placing her head in his lap. Caine pressed his hand into her hair and threaded his fingers through its length. She waited.

The envelope that he pulled from the drawer was made of real paper, though Jupiter knew that a sheave with the same information was still tucked away in the drawer. Caine pulled his hand away and she could hear the crinkling of paper as he unfolded it.

When she felt him stiffen beneath her she knew that the time for languid lounging had passed. He wasn't going to take her gift without a full conversation.

"Your Majesty, what is this?" His voice was tentative and filled with mixed emotions. For once she wished he'd just be happy with something instead of worrying about the ramifications of every little step she made.

"What does it look like?"

"It looks like… my contract." Jupiter sat up and pulled the sheet around her.

"It's hard, dealing with the Legion. They're a tough nut to crack, but I managed to get it and their promise, in writing, that you could rejoin under your own contract with them. They can't sell it or move you or anything." His face was hard to read, like a mask that he sometimes put up when he didn't know how to deal with an emotion properly.

"How… how did you… Your Majesty, this isn't done." His brows had drawn together as he spoke, concern for her evident there.

"This isn't about me. This is about you. I'm giving you your freedom, Caine. No one can make you do anything you don't want to." He still looked like he was going to turn her down, give it back, so she continued.

"This is a royal gift, you can't turn it away or take it back."

"I don't know what to say."

"Thank you would be nice," Jupiter leaned toward him and pressed her lips against his.

"Your Majesty," he returned her kiss with a heated one of his own. His tongue invaded her mouth and they danced with each other. Fingers skimmed along skin and soon she was in his lap, papers scattered on the floor and he was touching her everywhere. Showing her his thankfulness in the only way he knew how.

Later that morning Stinger was having a very similar, but different, reaction.

"You can't just keep going around the Gyre buying up contracts and selling them to their Splices."

"I can, and I will. This isn't about money, it's about Freedom." Jupiter really couldn't understand how a gift like this could cause such a reaction from the both of them. "I'm giving people their freedom to control their own lives!"

Stinger seemed to have understood her distress because he sat down at her kitchen table opposite her. "Your Majesty, this is an amazing thing that you've done for me, and I appreciate it more than you can imagine, but Splices are as much of a way of life here as ReGenEx. It's a huge industry that is filled with people willing to do what they can to make sure it stays that way. I'm just concerned about this becoming something too big."

His face was etched with concern, though she could see happiness and pride shining in the depths of his flashing eyes.

"Well," she said as she got up to go over to the stove, "I've got to keep you on your toes somehow." She fished a pan out of the cupboard and went to get some eggs from the fridge. "Who wants breakfast?"

The news that the Recurrence of Seraphi Abrasax, Queen Jupiter Jones had purchased the contract of her consort, one Caine Wise, and gifted him control of it spread like wild fire. Jupiter herself was surprised at how the information got out. She had taken pains to hide it from both Caine and Stinger until it was finalized, which she'd assumed would mean that it would stay hidden from everyone else.

But, as Kiva had told her, there were spies everywhere. Especially on Orous.

"I knew this was a bad idea," Stinger said to the room in general. They were all congregated in the living room of Jupiter's alcazar, which was just a large farmhouse with five bedrooms just down the street from Stinger's. Somehow Cara, a birdlike Splice with brown coloring and a beak like mouth, had figured out how to get space television on their TV set.

On the screen was a candid shot of her and Caine standing outside a restaurant. They were leaning in close, their mouths inches apart, Caine's wings poised to come between them and prying eyes. Two of her Skyjacker Honor Guard stood close by, nearly cropped out of the image. An anchorman, this one a full human with some cybernetic enhancements, was droning on in the background.

"Her Majesty Jupiter Jones of House Abrasax, who has been the highlight of the gossip and news columns for her stance on Harvesting and her choice of consort has upped her game in the Splice Rights campaign. Though not officially affiliated, she has been upheld by the Splice Advocates as the picture of everything that they stand for. Today we received news that not only has she purchased her consorts contract and gifted it to him with all the power behind the First Estate, but she has been changing the status quo on how Splices are treated in other parts of her life. All of the Splices in Her Majesty's employ have been sold their own contracts for a pittance and it seems that the trend is catching. Just yesterday another Entitled, Duchess…"

The set clicked off.

"This is going to be a bad day. I can feel it." Stinger said. Caine lifted a reassuring hand to Jupiter's and she squeezed his fingers.

"It's not that bad." This time even Caine shot her a look. "Ok, so it's not great, security wise, but it's wonderful otherwise."

Kiza saved her by calling everyone to dinner. Kiza and Jupiter carried the conversation across the table talking about movies and music and television. Caine sat silently beside her, eating his food with gusto. Kiza was an amazing cook.

Jupiter was in the backyard when Caine came to find her. She'd started a fire. She felt his presence but didn't turn, instead he came up behind her slipping his arms, then his wings around her.

"What are you thinking, Your Majesty?"

"Hmmm… nothing. Just thinking." Jupiter leaned into him. Let herself fall into his embrace, her head on his shoulder, and lifted her arms to hold his close to her. "It's been a year, you know. Tomorrow."

He chuckled and squeezed her tighter and they stood like that for a long moment, thinking about the past year. There had been some massive changes to Jupiter's life. She'd moved out of her family home on the pretense that she was moving in with her boyfriend, Caine. Which wasn't exactly a lie, Caine lived with her in every sense of the word, so did nine other Skyjackers, and Cara, and Kiza and Stinger half the time… She'd also told them that she'd gotten a new job as an au pair for a couple who lived in the city.

She had made major headway, and even some Allies, in the fight against Harvests and in the development of a new agent to replace ReGenEx. And she'd begun her own personal campaign to give freedom to all of the Splices that she'd known and come into contact with.

Now others were doing the same thing, following suit. This was what was worrying Caine and Stinger, the idea of a backlash from her going against the Status Quo as far as Splices were concerned. What if someone felt threatened by her? She shoved it out of her mind. It was worth it, to give people their lives back.

"Do you regret it?" She'd almost forgotten that he was there, except for the warmth radiating from him and his arms around hers. Jupiter turned in his embrace, his wings had gone back to spread wide at some point, and looked up into his face.

"Not one second of it."

He leaned forward and kissed her forehead before letting her go. "What would Her Majesty like to do?"

"Let's just sit-" Faster than she could react Caine was tucking her back behind his person, his shield up. Two Skyjackers fell from the sky to land on either side of them as bullets or plasma beams or lasers or whatever it was scorched a path in their direction. Mahsma landed on her right; a big tall bearded Lion Splice with wicked looking claws at the end of his fingers. On her left was Jane, a female Splice of some kind that Jupiter didn't know and wasn't keen on asking. She was mostly blue, with fur all over her body. The three of them formed a walled barrier in front of her.

Jupiter took off toward the house and Stinger, leaving them to it. Stinger came out of the back door just as she reached it. "Tear down my house they'll have to come and see me." Jupiter said to herself. Wisely he headed off into the wheat fields.

Inside Jupiter was met with yet another of her two Skyjackers, Zleda and Mickey, a male and female species of alien that she wasn't sure of and, again, felt it was too rude to ask. She just figured that eventually they'd tell her if they wanted her to know. They had dark nearly black skin and dark red eyes, fangs and long white hair. They were nearly identical except for the subtle change in face shape and accessories that they wore.

She heard the thrill of the rest of her Squad joining the battle and knew that they were doing their best to keep her safe. Zelda and Mickey ushered her and Kiza into the bathroom at the bottom of the stairs. It had no windows and was an easily defensible spot. It was also where you were supposed to go during hurricanes and tornados.


	2. Chapter 2

They sat there listening to the sounds of the gunfight and worrying over their men. Shouts and gunfire, loud bangs and screaming could be heard, muffled by the closed doors between them. Jupiter fretted silently, wincing with every noise that came through the walls of the house. Someone crashed through the wall. It was hard for her to simply sit and listen with them safe and sound and tucked away as they were.

"I'm sure that Caine will be fine," Kiza told her in a panic tinged voice.

"Stinger'll be ok, too. Everyone will be fine." Still, despite the calmness of her voice she felt the need for contact. Kiza's hand felt reassuring in hers.

There they were, huddled in the bathroom, one arm around the other, when Caine opened the door. Jupiter all but launched herself into his arms, checking his torso and waist - and every other part that she could reach - letting her fear fall down notch for notch. Kiza brushed by them in search of her father.

"You're ok." Jupiter breathed, heartbeat slowing.

"Yes, Your Majesty." Caine nuzzled the top of her head, taking in her scent and marking her with his. His hands roamed her sides, calming her even more before pulling her back. "But there's something we have to do. We've taken a prisoner."

Jupiter squared her shoulders and pulled back from him a little. She breathed deeply in and out. "What do I need to do?"

"You should be present for the interrogation. We need to know everything that he knows." She nodded in response, leaning forward into him for another long second. Then she pulled away with a groan.

"Let's get this over with, then."

Caine led Jupiter toward the back yard, where the man had been brought. She didn't think that meeting him in blue jeans and a purple tank looked Queenly, but it would have to do. Kiza ran past her and back into the house.

"Captain Apini." She nodded formally in his direction and stood there trying to look stately, but when Caine made to remove his hand from around her waist, she grabbed it with her own. She didn't want to go through this alone, she wanted him, and she wouldn't let him put forward that whole _it's not done, it isn't right_ attitude. She needed him holding her, _touching her,_ right now, and that was that.

Jupiter thought she saw the barest of possessive grins light his features. Maybe he was coming into his own a little more.

"Your Majesty," Stinger began, "this is one of the bounty hunters. How would you like to handle the interrogation?"

"I would like you to take care of it as you see fit. As Captain of the Guard it's your prerogative that matters here. I have full faith in you." Jupiter meant everything that she said, always meant everything she said. Regardless a little tremor of nervousness for what might come fluttered in her belly.

It was hard to watch, considering the tactics that Stinger employed. He was brutal with the man, all fists and low soft questions. It made her stomach turn. She made herself watch though, because they needed this information and the least she could do was watch while he did what she told him to. She flinched with every blow , even begun to tremble at one point, but refused to leave when Caine asked her to, all but begged her to. Jupiter stood fast as bruises and cuts bloomed on the man's face and around his cybernetic implants.

This was something she hadn't been prepared for, hadn't even considered happening. She was thinking good cop bad cop, like in the movies. Or some subtle threats, not outright violence.

Stinger flexed his muscles, ready to deliver another heavy blow to the man before the bounty hunter finally said anything.

"I don't know who sent us," his voice was garbled and he spat blood on the ground. Jupiter felt her stomach curl at the sound of it. "I wasn't in charge of anything. He's the one," the man motioned, weakly, to a fallen comrade that was just then being carried around back by two of the Keepers. "He's the one who set everything up."

By the time they had finished with the man, he was half dead from the wounds he had taken in the fight, and the beating afterward. Jupiter's gut flipped again and she finally turned away. She stood dazed after they hauled him away, and after a long moment, she started to shake. Caine tightened his arm around her and had a word with Stinger over her head. She didn't hear him. He brought her inside after that, while any damage that had been done to the house was repaired by the Keepers.

He took her upstairs to their bedroom and she sat down stiffly on the edge of the bed, eyes still dazed, body still shaking. Caine came toward her, his eyes soft and comforting, and began peeling the clothes off of her. First her boots, then her jeans and finally her tank top. Afterward he stripped down to his underwear and leaned her back, tucked her under the covers. He slipped in behind her and suddenly she came alive. She pressed into him, crushing herself to his chest and breathing for one long moment before the tears came. Her heart _hurt_. She'd never seen anything like that before.

And at her order.

They stayed there for a long time, Jupiter getting out all of her emotions from the day, from the fire fight and after. Caine held her for as long as she needed him to.

The morning wasn't awkward or uncomfortable. She had a headache from the night before, but it was mild in comparison to the one she'd fallen asleep with. Caine was still holding her, his arms wrapped tightly around her, his wings like an extra blanket, a soft layer of feathers between her and the bedclothes. She shifted to bring her hand free and reached up to smooth his brow. Even in sleep he wasn't completely relaxed.

It had taken a while before he felt safe enough to sleep in the same bed as her. More times than she could count, she'd awoken in the morning to find him sprawled out in the chair at the foot of the bed or curled up on the floor with an extra blanket.

He worried about his nightmares. He worried about waking up lashing out at her. But somewhere along the line she'd taught him to seek comfort in her instead of pushing her away, and even though the dreams still came, he rarely had them when they shared their bed.

Now though, they were curled around each other in a tangle of limbs and mingling breath. She pressed a kiss on his lips which he surprised her by returning.

"How long have you been awake?" She asked, a little frustrated but mostly amused. The smile that crossed her face came through in her voice.

"Mmmm, since you started moving." He pulled her in closer to him and snuggled her for a moment longer before speaking again. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm better. I just… that was hard, knowing that I'm capable of something like that. I'm not… I'm not used to having to make those kinds of decisions. I hope I never have to do it again."

"I do too." He didn't sound like he believed that was going to happen though. He likely believed it was a fleeting wish on her part.

They stayed tangled up in each other's arms for a while, until Caine's stomach grumbled, protesting that he hadn't eaten since last night.

"Guess we ought to get dressed and go find you something to eat." He laughed as he rolled off of the bed, and extended a hand to Jupiter to help her up. They paraded around the room for a moment, giggling and pinching and tickling and just enjoying each other's company. The knock on the door brought that to an end.

"Do not enter," Caine hollered through the door and Jupiter wasn't sure if it was because she was the Queen or because she was his, but it sent a little flutter through her belly either way. They dressed quickly, Caine in a dark pair of pants and a light t-shirt, Jupiter in another pair of jeans and a button up blouse.

She sat herself in the chair at the foot of the bed before Caine opened the door. There were exactly two people who would even consider entering their bedroom, Kiza and Stinger, and it was the latter who stood there, looking at Caine instead of over at Jupiter.

They exchanged some kind of silent communication before Stinger looked over at her. "Majesty." He nodded when he spoke and waited for her to motion him inside. Caine closed the door behind them.

She tried to see their bedroom from his gaze, a queen size bed in the corner, far from the door, with a fireplace across the room. Jupiter's chair was set in front of a bookshelf at the end of the bed. There was a dresser and a mirror and a nightstand. Certainly not what one would expect from a Queen's bedchamber. She doubted that Kalique would have felt comfortable in their small space, but it was cozy and it was theirs and Jupiter was happy to have it.

"How are you feeling, Majesty?" Stinger asked as he came to one knee in front of her. Caine stood where he was, waiting.

"Stinger, get off the floor. Sit down somewhere, please." He did as she asked, perching on the edge of the low dresser nearby.

Caine came to sit on the foot of the bed next to her. They all sat, staring.

"I'm fine, Stinger. Really. I know that sometimes I have to do things that make me uncomfortable, or that I'd rather not do. Sometimes, most of the time, I'm fine. Other times I'm not. I can't change that, but I can do my best to remain solid and Queenly while I'm doing it. Especially when we're not here."

She reached out for his hand and he took it. "Yes Your Majesty."

"Thank you for coming though, I'm fine now. Really." The both of them stood when she made to get up from her chair. "Let's go see what Kiza's made for breakfast."


End file.
